Tracker-board for piano-players.



M. F. HOLDERMAN.

TRACKER BOARD FOR PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1909.

9 H T w G m M M v m m mm Y .2 k km .Q w WQ mu 1 M 8 w n C m 3 3 n w %v Q I H B 7 I 5 m mu. W a" wq 5 VH 9 N1 Q W Q M. P. HOLDERMAN.

TRACKER BOARD FOR PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1909. 957,774, Patented May 10,1910

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2 M. F. HOLDBRMAN.

TRACKER BOARD FOR PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1909.

Patented May 10, 1910.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Aftomey M. F. HOLDERMAN.

TRACKER BOARD FOR PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 24, 1909. 957,774.

Patented May 10, 1910 8 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Altomey M. r. HOLDERMAN;

TRACKER BQABD FOB PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLIOATIOI FILED KAY 24, 1909.

Patnted May 10, 1910.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

[NVEN TOR Aifomey M. r. HOLDBRMAN.

TRACKER BOARD FOR PIANO PLAYERS.

I PPLIOATIOI FILED KAY 24, 1909. I 957,774:- Patented May 10, 1910 8 SHEETS-BEBE! 6.

M. F. HOLDERMAN.

TRACKER BOARD FOR PIANO PLAYERS. APPLIUATIOR FILED KAY 24, 1909.

957,774. Patented May 10,1910.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

v WNW/55555.- I :1 [NVENTOR 6 mam? W I a K? Q 7 7 M. F. HOLDERMAN;

TRACKER BOARD FOR PIANO PLAYERS.

, APPLICATION FILED In 24, 1909.

957,774, Patented May 10,1910.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

WITNESS [NVENTQR "Yfn euns whereby pie'cesof music may whereby perforate showing, the application of 'm M gnon 12. Honnmtmum, or wesnn re'ron, insurer or COLUMBIA.

To anew); u'm'a 55mm.- p c Be it known thatI, Memos Honorin- Meir, acitizen of the United States, residing lit \Vashin'gtom .in the District of Columbia,

9 have invented eertainnew and useful Im- )rovemcnts :in 'lruckerdioards for Pianoila-yers; end I do hereby. declare the following. to be t-full, cleui", and exact description of the inventiom-such us will enable others IO-skilledin th m-t to'wliich it a-ppcrta-ms to make enthuse the Sttllle, reference being had to the accompany ng drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of-thisspecification.

151. This invention relates to new and useful improven'ients inmoyable trackerboards for -mechan1cul musical instruments, such as piano players and other i1'istruments and coinprlses esscntinlly .a tre'ckerboard caps- --bleiof: i universul-movenieit and affording trackerbotird being determined by astut able indicgtor cardnrnd pomten.

'lheriuvntion relates.morespecificallyto structures or devices operated orcontrolled by perforated sheets or rolls or other sev lectors; such; as automatic musics-l instruments, machines for perforating strips or otherwise making the sheets or rolls which are used in such instruments for reproducing music. or accomplishing yarious pur- )oses., '4

The invention comprises further'a trackerbdartl which may he moved atany angle to the line of travel of the perforated strip laud toward or away from the latter and in 4 means for holding the truckerbozird in any of its adjusted positions, aflordin means ieccs of music may be p aye'd or strips formed, the latter guided us it is, woundtruly from one reel to another with as little friction as poss ble.

The present invention o,0mprises various '45 other details of" construction, coni'bin'etions and .arrangements of parts which will be t and then specificallv defined in the appended claims.

hereinafter fully: descri f.[- illustratel;iny invention in; the 'aooom Q panying drawings; in which front elevation of a well H invention thereto,'i n whichjndicating car s'are' shown as mo unted upon' the tracker board, and mov- Figure 1 is a;

- ;iole -tl' erewith with stationary indicating pointers upon: thejfr'un e of the well; Fig.

1 rmlcxmnomnrosfmtsowisie;i

v SpecificationotI-etters Iatentr .-V Application nledMay '24,1909. Seria1'No. 497,989;- r- 4 e 2, is a similiuview showing stationory'i'ndi eating cards mountedover the trackerboard and adapted to register with the indicating pointers on the trackerboa'rd; ig. 34s a similar yiew in elevatio :showingnnindr ing an indicating pointer movablwith'. the

eating curd fixed to the well and: illustratj trackei board; Fig. l'is :tfront elevation of a well showing a still different modified form of niy'inve'ntion in which the 'indicuting card is mounted upon an arm fastened to the truckerboard and a stationary indicator pointer fastened to the'well frame. rFi n' 5 is a' cross sectional view on line 5.v5-of Fig-I 1. Fig. 6 1s anend"v1ew of the-con"- -struc tion shown in Fig." l of the drawings.

Fig. '6" is a detail iew showing in dot lines difierent posit ons'the trackerboard may assume. I IgnLG is .a. detail-view showingthe tiltingadjust'rnents of the trackerbe board. Fig. (Y-iisa detail-view'showingthe forward adjusting movement of thetrakerboard. -.'F1g. 7 is anfenlarged plan view of the indicating card. -Fig. 81s a view inelevation-showing a slight modificationof the invention in" hich two rows of tin-es are shown and the rovision'of fldlS- tinct indicating cardian pointer-fore; .1 series of upertures nn in --.Fig. 9 I have shown a inodificat ion' of my invention in which selectors are provided which are adapted to close circuit as the selector moves through a erforation of the strip- Figs.

10 and 11 are detail views-of acurtain.

Reference-now being had to the details of thedrawings by numerals, 1 designatesa well of the apparatus, which is of, the general shapeand construction 'of those commonly employed in a piano player, an inounted -in said well are the ,two spools 2 and3 upon which the perforated -str1p 4is adupt-edtowind. The upright end pieces of said well are-recessed at 5 at positions'opposite each other sind-adapted to receives movable trackerboard 6 which is vof, the standard make and provided with in series of uniform sized apertures 7. 'lhe'recesses formed in the edges of the upright pieces of the well are preferably. slightly, wider aperu thanrthe width of the trackerboard in order 1 to allow the {latter to-have a, slight tiltin movement, if necessary for any purpose,"an the ends of the trackerboardpreferably. roject beyond; the opposite-ends ofthe we l.

n1 'oide'r to raise one end or' the other of the trackerboard: sliglitly,l"proyide. the lougitudinally movable bars 8, one being mountfitted ,tolni ples which arefixed the ed upon the outer face of each end. strip apertures o the trackerboard and also conof the well, as shown clearly in the drawnected to the'pneumatic board. said nip ings,"and said b rs 8 are ,provided with plea-which are made either of metal, glass elongated slots!) through wh'ch the headed or other material, are referably inserted ins or screws 10 project which are fastened into the flexible tubes an the nip les forced to the ends-of the well. The upper end of into the holes in the .trackei'boar thus diseach of said bars 8 is adapted to contact with pensing with the usual glu ng or cementing the under-edge of the trackerboard. and, of the parts and, when the tubes are thus 'when an' upper longitudinal movement .is connected without gluing, they may be imparted'to either of said bars, it causesone easily removed and replaced for repairs or or the other of the trackerboa'rd to move cleaningwithout injury to any of the parts. upward slightly. In order to hold the track In Fig. 2 of the'drawings, I: have shown 'erboard withinsaid recesses,. I provide. a slight -mod ification' of myinvention in springs 11 which are fastened to the ends which the graduated indicating cards 32 of the well and bear yieldingly againsttthe are stationar being fixed preferablyto the adjusted position and (yet allow it tobe to move over the: graduated faces-of the outer convexd face ofthe trackerboard ends of the well, and fixed ointers 33 are with suflicient friction to hoidthe latter'in fastened to the tra'ckerboar and, adapted instantly and freel move in any direction. cards. Pivotally-mount u on a rojection 12 In Fig. 3 of thefdrawings, I have shown upon the under edge 0 the well is a lever 13, another. modification of the invention, in one end-of which is pivoted at 14 to the 'which-the indicating card, designated by nulower end of the shank-150i thekey llfi, meral 35, is fastened to the lower edge of while the other end ,of said lever 13 is 'pivotthe well, preferably. inthe center thereof ally connected at-l7 to the lower end of the and in; front of the lower portion of the longitudinally movable bar 8. It'will be lower spool or roller and. an indicatin noted upon reference to the drawings that pointer, designated by numeral 36 an one ofsaid levers 13 is provided atjeach mounted upon an indicatingarmB'I, is'fasend of the well and each adapted to actuate tened at one end 38 to one end of the trackone-of said bars-8 for the purpose set forth; erboard outside the well.

Pivotally mounted upon a pin 18 on the In Fig. 4 of- .the drawings, I have shown A outer edge of the ends of the well, as shown still ano her modification of the arrangeclearly in Fig. 6 of the drawings, is an ment of the indicating cardin which the angle lever 19, the upper laterall project-' indicating card, which is designated by nu- 1 ing end 20 of which is a'da'pte to bear meral'39, is fastened-to a movable angled against. the rear face of the trackerboard, bar 40 which is fastened to the trackerboard while the lower end thereof is fastened to a in the same manner as shown in Fig. 3 of rod 21 which in turn is pivotally connected the drawings and an indicatin pointer,

to one end of a lever 22, which is pivotally designated by numeral 41, is fix centrally 1 mounted upon a pin 23 upon the .prdjection, to theloweredge of the well.

24 of the well, and 25 designates a key, the In Fig. 7', I have shown a large indicating shank ortion 26 of-which is pivoted at 27 card, designated by numeral 58, which is to the ever 22.- It will be noted that there ada ted to be fastened in the-center of the are two ,angled levers 19 of similar conwel .abovethe trackerboard and is provided struction mounted one at each endof the for indicating the musical notes, the osition well and each provided with means for tiltof the tracker, the piano keys and t e holes "ing the same 'of similar construction as in the tracker so that any person may readily above described, said angled levers being ascertain the relative position of the tracker adapted to mo eone end or the other of the or perforated music sheet. I I trackerboard. In Fig. 8 of the drawings, I have shown a In Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have shown slight modification of. my nvention in'which my improved indicating cards, designated means is afforded for adapting the trackereach by numerals 28, as fixed to the trackerboard for playing various forms of music in board and stationary angled inters 29 are which it is necessary to provide more than fastened one to each end 0 the well and one rowof apertures in .the trackerboard,-

- adapted to register over the face of the indithe perforations in one row being substancating card "as the latter is moved in one tially one half of the length of those in the direction or the other with the trackerboard. other and each row requirmg a distinct n- When rubber or' other elastic flexible air dicator mechanism m order to read1ly.1nd1- tubes 31 are "utilized to communicate becate the key in which it is desired to lay.

tween the apertures or passages in the trackthe music and in said Fig. 8 the trac ererboard and the usual or any approvedboard 42 has the two series of apertures 43 neumatic devices influencing the sound proand 44, the former 'of which, form ng the ucing apparatus,-said tubes are preferably lower series, are substantially twice the length of the perforations or apertures Mounted upon the tracker-board 42 are the indicating pointers45 and 4'6, one indicating over the indicating card 4} and theother over the indicating-card 48, both fastened to 'tliewell, whilea third indicatingcard, des

- ignatedby numeral 49, isfixed to the lower edge of the well and has a graduated scale '50 formed on the arc of a circle. Au indicatingpointer-51 is pivotally" mounted upon a pin fig upon the'card 49 and moves over the scale 50, while its other end is provided with a slot 53 through which a pin 54'carried'by the angled arm 55is adapted to have -a slidin pivotal connection. The bar 55 is fastened to one end of the trackerboard in the manner shown-in Fig. 3 of the draw "tened below the trackerboard and-adjacent t9 which the piyotal pointer moves is 'used inconnection with the .lower row of aperitures in the trackerboard. Another form of mechanism for moving the trackerboardup or down, tilting the same-or moving the same "forward is'shown inthe drawings in which 8" designates two vertically movable sliding bars, each having a slot 9 through which pins. 10 pass, as shown clearly in Fig-5' of-the drawings, and 13' designates a pivotal lever connected by link to the bar 8 formin means for moving the bar 8 upward. 20 designates theupper angled end i of a pivotal lever22' whi 1 latter is utilized formoving the trackerboai'd forward as the lever is tilted.

In Fig. 9, I have shown a still difi'erent modification' of my invention in which the a parat'us is adapted for operating selectors, c ose electrical c1rcuits,'etc.', and 1n which a series Of metallic conductor levers 56 are mounted upon a pin 57 and a portion of each lever is ada ted to contactwith the perforated strip o .paper 4: and, when a perforation comes LOP POSItG the contact point between the lever and the paper, it is a apted'" to fall through said perforation and cause the lever to tilt slightly :1 suilicient distance to allow a metallic pendent finger.59 pivoted thereto to contact with an electrode 60 which'in' turn is connected through the medium of the contact wire til-with the battery 62 andin turn throu h the wire 63 with the. lever ,56, thuszcompliating a circuit for the purpose'of actuating'any form of mechanism. M ounted upon a pm 64; are'the le vers 65, each of which is adapted, as it is moved by any suitable mechanism notfshown, to cause one or another of the lingo 59 to be thrownto the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. ilj'so that, when the lever is actuated through the medium. of the perforated strip, it will not contact withythe electrode 60. A second'series of levers, each designated by numeral (36 mounted upon a pm 67,1nay move one or another of .thelevers 56 away from the perforated sheet in order that the lever'will not actuate mech anism for closing the circuit. By this modification, both the pneumatic'or the electrical mechamsm may be operated at the same time or independent of theother, the electrical means bemg speclally'useful in connection with the pneumatic instrumentfor playing octaves, etc., or the pneumatic action being useful for operating reeds, while the electrical means may be used where greater or less power is ire'quired foritha-k mechanical operation, but which details 'are not embodied in the present application but will form subject matter forsubsequent applications.

e In FigsflO, and 11, I have shown ilet'ail for given notes or tones of the instrument, the shifting of the trackerboard across the line of travel of the music sheet will change the key of the music'which will be produced by the travel of the music sheet, a movement to the left having the cfiectto expose to the action of the perforated music sheet a range of notes higher up raise the key, while a movement to the right for like reason will lower the key inwvlnch'the music will be played. The tubes being flexible and the trackerboard not being fixed enables the operator to accuratelyfand instantlyadjust and move the tracker-board to lower or raise'the key one or any number'of sheet and close certain apertures 'of' the 4 range. communicate with pneumatic devices semitones or to give, by a skew or tilt the air or solo'to be played due prominence.

In the art to which this invention relates, it is'well known that the pneumatic piano players as usually constructed are adapted to play the music in the key in which the music is made only and: further that oftentimes the music is not perforated or made in the best key:or to the one mostpleasing tothe operator. By the provision of my improved apparatus, the movable trackerboardwill enable the operator to" play the music in any number of keys from the one sheet, no matter in what way-it may be made, and the change from one key to another can be instantly effected while the music is running over the trackerboard, the trackerboard bemg ada ted to move in any direction or any desira le distance.

By the provision of an indicating card.

having the arrangement of letters and figures asshown, the operator may move the mdlcating pointer or the indicating card relative one to theother in order to automatically adjust the key in which it is desired to play the piece.

The indicator cards are graduated to correspond to the size of the apertures or holes in the trackerboard and they register the -movement of'the trackerboard to the right or left.

The figures upon the indicator cards, 1t Wlll be understood, show how many semi-tones the trackerboard is to be moved to the right or left for the ke desired and the letters show the key.-, The etters in con-" junction with the figures enable any, transposition desired, while the pointers show how far the trackerboard has been "moved and the key.

It be understood that, in the illustra-' tion in the drawings, the pointers are nor- 1 mally positioned to indicate a sheetof music in the key of C but, when a perforated sheet is applied to the spools written-in any other key, the pointer ispositioned opposite the line' adjacent to the particular subdivision on the card in which the particular key of music appears and then, when it is desired to play the piece in a still different key, the pointer may be moved in one direction or the other as may be desired.

As it frequently happens that musical, records from various reasons become affected byexposure to atmospheric influences, one edge or the other of the sheet will shrink or expand, thus making it impossible to operate an instrument with such defective record strip but, by the rovision of a uniyersally movable tracker oard, which universal movement contemplates the movement of I the trackerboard to the right or left, up or down, or tilting one end or -the other, or moving the same forward, the tracker-board may be quickly and conveniently adjusted to conform to any irregularities in thereoord strip, such as uneven ed es, some of which may be shrunken and ot 1ers expanded, etc. From these and other causes, the

perforated record strip will travel over the trackerboard with the erforations not accurately registering wit perforations in said trackerboard. The, inaccuracy may be corrected by moving the trackerboard up or down by'the manipulation of one or t tracker-board. The trackerboard. may be moved longitudinally in either direction by the .operator simply taking hold of the trackerboard [and gmdving' the' same to the.

the mouths of the.

e other of the keys 16 of theright orleft as may be desired, thus causing the perforations in the music sheet to registerj'with the mouths of the openings in the trackerboard. As the pitch of. the various suction holes of the trackerboard is uniform and corresponds to a semitone, it will be apparent that by, moving the trackerboard longitudinally a distanceequal to that be tween two adjacent holes, it will have the effect 0f .lowering or raising the key note of the musical composition a semitone and that the moving of the trackerboard twice this distance w1ll produce a double effect and so on. For instance, let -us suppose the accompaniment to-a song is desired to be trans- .posed into a key note that differs from the original by two semitones or by a whole note, the trackerboard is moved two holes and the music may be played in the desired key. There are thirteen sounds in the chromatic scale of an octave and the trackerboard may be movedin either direction any" distance to suit any prepared music roll for effecting the player or the music. By the provision of a universally movable trackeroard embodying the features of the present invention, perforated music sheets of various widths may be utilized and having any number of notes or rows of perforations, the

adjustment of the means tothe particular sheet of. music being readily determined by the card and indicating pointer. By the provision of'the means for moving the trackerboard in different directions, objectionable noises incident to the passing of the music strip over the trackerboard, which is common to the usual piano players, may be dispensed with by lessening the friction in- 'termediate the trackerboard and the perforated strip and the latter may also be guided truly by raising or lowering one end of the trackerboard as the strip is wound from one spool to another. a

It will be apparent that apparatus embodying the features of thepresent invention may.be adapted to various forms of perforating machines, automatically operatmg selectin mechanism fororgans, zithers,

uitars', violins, various wind and scientific 1nstruments,-etc.,', and, owing to the wide range of adjustment of the trackerboard,

may bev operated so as to facilitate quick,

sharp repetition of notes, or tones, while slots or perforations of the music sheet or its thus lengthening the bridges between closely following perforationsof the music sheet.

It will be understood that the movable" ria having the same coefficient of expansion and contraction under atmospheric condi- 1 tions as the music strip to be'used with it.

\Vhat I claim to be new is 1. In combination with the well of a iano player, a universall movable tracker oard mounted in saidwel and means for raising either end of the trackerboar'd relative to the line of travel of a perforated music sheet.

2. In combination with the wellof a piano player, a universally movable" t-rackerbo'ard mounted in said well, means for moving either end of the trackerbo'ard at different angles to the line of travel of the music sheet, and means for moving the trackerboard forward. Y

3. In combination with the well of a iano player, a universally movable tracker ard mounted in said well, and movable bars adapted to bear against the under edge of the trackerboard to move one end or the other of the latter at different angles to the line of travel of a perforated music sheet.

4. In combination with the well of a iano player, a universally movable tracker o mounted in said well,movable bars ada ted to bear against the under edge of the trac erboard to move one end or the other of the latter at different angles to the line of travel of a perforated music sheet and lever mechanism adapted to move said bars'longitudinally.

5. In combination with the well of a iano player, a nniversall movable tracker ard mounted insaid wel movable bars ada ted to bear against the under edge of the trac erboard to move one end or the other of the latter at different angles to the line of travel of a perforated, music sheet, pivotal levers mounted upon the well and adapted to move said bars longitudinally, and a. key pivoted to each of said levers.

. 6. In combination with the well of a piano player, a universally movable tracker 'ard mounted in said well means for moving either end ofthe trackerboard at different angles to the line of travel of the music ard sheet, and mechanism cooperating with said means and the said wel for holding the trackerboard in' an adjusted osition-h 7. In combination with t e well of a piano player having openings in the op 0- site sides thereof, a universally mova le.

trackerboard mounted in said 0 enings, and means for moving either end 0- the trackerboard within -said openings relative to the line of travel of a perforated music sheet.

.8. In combination with the well of a piano player having openings in the op 0 'site .sides' thereof, a universally mova le trackerboard mounted in said openings,-

springs fastened to the edges of the well and extending across said openings, angle levers pivoted upon the frame and bearin against the rear faces of the trackerboar and adapted tov move the latter against a perforated music sheet.

9. In combination with the well of a piano playerhaving openings in the opposite sides' thereof, a universally mova le trackerboard mounted in said openings, sprin s fastened to the edges of the well and extending across said openings, angle levers pivoted upon the frame and'bearin against the rear faces of the trackerboard, key actuated levers, and link connections with said angle levers.

10. In combination with the well of a piano player, auniversally movable trackeroard mounted in said well, means for raising either end of the trackerboard relative to the line of. travel of a perforated music sheet, and flexible ipes connected to the trackerboard adapte d to communicate with pneumatics.

11. In combination with the wellof a piano player, the opposite edges of said well' aving open recesses a trackerboard having a universal movement in said recesses, means for raising either end of said trackerboard within said recesses relative to the line of travel of a perforated sheet, and means for confining the trackerboard within said recesses. I

12. Incombination with the well ofa 'piano. player, the opposite edges of-said well having open recesses a trackerboard having a universal movement in said recesses, means for moving said trackerboard within said recesses at different angles to the line of travel of a perforated sheet,

springs fastened to the recessed edges of the well and having their free ends extending over the openings in the recesses. In testimony whereof I. hereunto-affix my. signature in the presence of two witnesses. 

